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Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group Work and Group Processes Kendra J

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Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group Work and Group Processes Kendra J University of St. Thomas, Minnesota UST Research Online Social Work Faculty Publications School of Social Work 2004 Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group work and group processes Kendra J. Garrett University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.stthomas.edu/ssw_pub Part of the Clinical and Medical Social Work Commons, Social Work Commons, and the Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons Recommended Citation Garrett, Kendra J., "Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group work and group processes" (2004). Social Work Faculty Publications. 6. http://ir.stthomas.edu/ssw_pub/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Social Work at UST Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Social Work Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UST Research Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group Work and Group Processes Kendra J. Garrett, Ph.D. A survey of 54 school social workers indicated that they use group work extensively in their practice to address a number of student issues. Cognitive- behavioral theories were most commonly used to guide these groups, and workers rarely identified the use of small group theory as a conceptual framework. Groups were less frequent at the secondary level, and sessions were longer. Family change groups were more common at the elementary level. The method of funding the social work position had no affect on kinds or numbers of groups school social workers facilitated. Respondents did not identify use of small group theory as a conceptual framework, but they addressed group dynamics and group developmental stages. They used activities extensively and adapted published curriculum to meet member needs. Group Work in Schools 2 Use of Groups in School Social Work: Group Work and Group Processes In addition to being a good use of school social workersʼ time, groups offer many advantages over work with individual students. When members give and receive support and help from each other, this mutual aid empowers students to feel useful while learning to accept help and support from others. Cohesiveness, the group bond, gives members a sense of belonging and identity as a group member. Groups offer members a number of potential peer relationships beyond the relationship with the worker. Members can learn that they are not alone in dealing with problems (universalization), and they can gain hope through observing others resolve their concerns. Groups offer members a place where they can learn new knowledge and practice new behaviors and skills. Groups provide a place where members can express emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Groups offer members feedback that is often more effective coming from peers than from a social worker (Northern & Kurland, 2001). There are behavioral (Rose & Edleson, 1987) and cognitive (LeCroy, 2002) group work practice models that social workers can individualize to meet the needs of their students, using creative activities such as worksheets, toys, games, and published curriculum. In an attempt to discover the nature and scope of group work practice in schools and to describe the use of small group theory, group activities, and Group Work in Schools 3 published curricula, a survey was mailed to school social workers asking them to describe their group work practices. It was hypothesized that there would be substantial differences between group work practices at the elementary and secondary levels and that funding source for the social work position would have an impact on the kinds of groups social workers conduct. It was further hypothesized that school social workers are using principles of small group theory to develop their groups, even when group principles are not included in curriculum they are using to guide their groups. This article reports the results of that survey and describes the problems that social workers are addressing, the methods they employ, and the theoretical frameworks that guide their groups. Background of the Study Group work activities are used to have fun, to foster creativity, to assess members, to aid communication through non-verbal means, to develop interpersonal relationships, to foster helping, to build competence and confidence, to improve decision making, to change the environment of the group (Northern & Kurland, 2001), and to help isolated, withdrawn, or silent members interact with others. While some members are more comfortable participating in activities than they are talking with each other, activities can also facilitate discussion (Middleman & Wood, 1990). Such activities as role-play, cooking, art, singing, puppets, rehearsal of new behaviors, story telling, writing, photography, drama, and athletics have traditionally been used in social work groups. These Group Work in Schools 4 activities are not limited to young children and may be used in groups for any age, so long as the activities fit with member abilities and group purposes (Northern & Kurland, 2001). In planning group activities, school social workers can turn to many existing curricula to address such student issues as social skills (Dygdon, 1993; Goldsein & McGinnis, 1997; McGinnis, Goldstein, Sprafkin, & Gershaw, 1984; Martin, 1994; Taylor, 1997; Webster-Stratton, Reid, & Hammond, 2001; Forgan & Jones, 2002), problem solving (Browning & Nave, 1993; Nichols,1997), decision making (Rockwell, 1993; Sunburst, 2000), anger management (Eggert, 1994; Larson, 1992; Lochman, Dunn, & Klimes-Dougan, 1993), violence prevention (Committee for Children, 1990; Frey & Sylvester, 1997; Hanna & Maddalena, 1994), bullying (Beane, 1999; Garrity, Jens, Porter, Sager, & Short-Camilli, 2000; Sullivan, 2000), and making appropriate choices (Becker & Barth, 2000). Many of these programs have been empirically validated as successful in resolving social and emotional issues that arise in school settings. But to be truly effective, group activities, whether created by the worker or adopted from a published curriculum, must not be viewed as the only intervention in group work. Activities should be tied with member understanding about the activity and its place in meeting goals and accomplishing group purpose. Planning should also take group processes into consideration, as group process has a powerful therapeutic effect over and above content of a session (Northern & Kurland, 2001). Group processes are those interpersonal interactions ongoing Group Work in Schools 5 in the group at any given time. The facilitator monitors such dynamics as group purpose; member and group goals; behaviors; emotional expression; group culture in the form of values, roles, and norms; communication patterns; and interpersonal conflicts (Gavin, 1985; Northern & Kurland, 2001; Toseland & Rivas, 2001). As the group develops, the facilitator helps support positive member interactions and develops a positive, cohesive group. Group activities must also fit with the groupʼs stage of development. After an important pre-group planning phase (Kurland & Salmon, 1978) members come together in a beginning phase, characterized by membersʼ tentativeness, ambivalence, low commitment to the group, and superficial discussion. This phase sets the stage for future growth by clarifying the purpose of the group and helping members to identify personal goals to address in the group (Garland, Jones, & Kolodny; 1965). In these early sessions of a group, activities should help members get to know each other, ease tension, and discover similarities (Northern & Kurland, 2001). There may be some time of conflict in which members attempt to define their roles and status within the group (Garland, Jones, & Kolodny; 1965). In times of conflict, activities allow members opportunities to work through conflict and compete with each other (Northern & Kurland, 2001). The middle phase of a group is characterized by cohesion of members who are able to work together towards the purposes of the group and towards attaining personal goals of the members (Garland et al., 1965). In the working phase, activities may include greater cooperation and self-disclosure Group Work in Schools 6 than in other times (Northern & Kurland, 2001). In groups with female membership, conflict is less likely to happen in early stages of development and tends to occur after relationships have been well established, when members challenge each other constructively to grow and change (Schiller, 1995). The final stage in the life of a group is separation or termination, in which members solidify gains made and work to transfer these gains to situations outside the group (Mayadas & Glasser, 1981). As the group approaches termination, activities help members to cope with feelings about ending the group and provide an opportunity to reminisce and evaluate the group (Northern & Kurland, 2001). Many articles on group work with children describe not only activities to be used in groups but also the interactions, processes, mutual aid, or stages of group development that go together to help students benefit from the intervention (Collins, 1998; DeMar, 1997; Fatout, 1995: Malekoff & Laser, 1999; Moroz, 1996; Pawlak, Wozniak, & McGowen, 2002; Mayerson, 2000; Springer, Lynch, & Rubin, 2000; Witte & deRidder, 1999; Wohl, 2000). Other childrenʼs group descriptions are less clear about the inclusion of group processes in the interventions (Bacha, Pomeroy, & Gilbert, 1999; LeCroy, 2002; McGinnis et al., 1984;
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